David Warner axed as Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper, captain

Shortly after stripping David Warner of the captaincy, Sunrisers Hyderabad has dropped him from the team’s playing XI versus Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2021. The team, which won its first IPL title under Warner’s captaincy in 2016, currently sits at the bottom of the points table after just one win in their first six matches. Kane Williamson will be in charge of the team as they seek to revive their campaign.

“David Warner will not be playing in this particular game. It’s purely a decision based on combinations. We have sort of come to a conclusion that at this stage that 2 overseas batsmen, an all-rounder and Rashid Khan is our best combination. We looked it very closely,” SRH director of cricket Tom Moody confirmed. Along with Warner, Suchit and Kaul also missed out the game.

The announcement came in the same week that dozens of other Australian cricketers playing in India, along with other Australians based in the country, were warned that any attempt to return home before 15 May would risk jail time. It means, Warner will remain in the COVID-hit India until the Australian government allows them to return home.

When asked about his reaction, Moody revealed that Warner “was shocked and disappointed” after hearing the news. “He was obviously shocked and disappointed. You would be disappointed if he wasn’t feeling like that, any elite sportsman, they want to be playing, they want to be proving themselves and doing there best they can for the team,” Moody said.

The 34-year-old Warner has so far scored two fifties in the IPL 2021 but SRH lost on both the occasions. He scored 55-ball 57 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in SRH’s last match but found it really hard to middle the ball properly. “I take full responsibility for the way I batted. I batted slow and hit the fielders,” he had said during the 7-wicket defeat last week.

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